This article continues our series of “Travel Notes” by the folk musician and journalist Maria Kirilova. Maria kindly suggested writing travel notes for tyva.me during a trip to Tuva this year for the celebration of Shagaa – the Tuvan New Year. Maria will share her insights about the sternly beautiful winter of Tuva, how the Tuvinians survive in the -40 degree frosts, how the Shagaa is celebrated, and what is sung in the winter folk songs.

Author: Maria Kirilova

The 17 February continued to feel celebratory. At midday we again came to the Centre of Asia monument to take part in filming the video for Shagaa, which is for everyone in the world celebrating the Lunar New Year. This time, instead of Vivaldi and Rossini, one could hear Tuvan music and people came in Tuvan national costumes. Some rented their clothes from the nearby tourist centre, but many came in their own wear. Seeing the vibrantly colourful dresses on the background of reflective white snow made me want to greet to the whole world over with this wonderful celebration. We assembled on the steps leading to the monument, and after some minor practice, having heard the official part of the greeting in two languages, we managed to shout “Kurai Kurai Kurai!” in sync. Kurai can be translated as “let all things be good, lucky, happy and anyway in just the way we want to them to!”

While my photographer Julia Kuskova was taking 3D panorama shots, some national dresses freed up and we were offered to try them on. This was a bullet point on my list, and I was delighted to cross it off. For the first time, we saw people in a hurry in Tuva, but we were here taking photos and trying on costumes for as long as we wanted to. We looked incredible in dresses elaborately embroidered with all sorts of colours and decorations. It was a shame to dress down, but we had to go forth on our mission to buy souvenirs for our friends! Having filled our bags with all that we needed, I finally met my pen pal! My friend was extremely helpful in the run up to the trip, answering all my questions and finding everything out, I felt rather indebted. We went to a really cool live music place, the very atmospheric “Tuvan Rock Club”, which did not have a sign above the door, but a very steep spiral staircase, which led to a basement room with a performance area like you’d see in a jazz bar. It is here that “Hotel Kal” from Krasnoyarsk played, accompanied by the local band “Malyshok”, whose sax player I will never forget. Apart from jazz classics, Hotel Kal performed their own songs but both sets, it seemed, were awaited by the audience. Hotel Kal is a distinguished band in Krasnoyarsk.

After the concert, we had a sit down with the musicians, which was certainly my cup of tea! The drummer from Hartyga, Naiys Dulush, joined us there. He must have lost count of how many times he had performed at this bar.

A taxi drove us away from the place I have grown to call home during my short stay. These days passed like the ones in all our lives, when it feels like we’ve arrived at the family abode and we don’t want the day to end, trying to stop time with every thought… I am completely enamoured by the hospitality of Tuva.

This article continues our series of “Travel Notes” by the folk musician and journalist Maria Kirilova. Maria kindly suggested writing travel notes for tyva.me during a trip to Tuva this year for the celebration of Shagaa – the Tuvan New Year. Maria will share her insights about the sternly beautiful winter of Tuva, how the Tuvinians survive in the -40 degree frosts, how the Shagaa is celebrated, and what is sung in the winter folk songs.

Author: Maria Kirilova

My day before Shagaa itself was meticulously planned, but the National Museum surpassed all expectations, and I forgot all about the overall plan. I did not manage to visit the exposition “Gold of the Scythians”, but thanks to the photographer Julia Kuksova, the museum will soon have a virtual 3D tour with an overview of most halls. Unlike Julia, who was forced to resign to filming during her whole visit, I could quietly go through the exhibitions. Since it was Shagaa, when it is customary to wear national dress, traditional and more modern national costumes were displayed on the ground floor. To me and the hosts of the program “Running on Tuva”, the guide said that recently the tradition of wearing national clothes began to revive not only on holidays, but also in everyday life. I saw both the wardrobe of the 19th century, and clothes designed by modern designers with the preservation of Tuvan style. And in the building of the museum I was most impressed with the giant paintings spanning three floors. The whole space looked excellently grand. I hope we didn’t annoy the staff too much – staying to the last minute of opening hours.

And after that, we absolutely had to rest a little before the night of Shagaa. We were so tired that we slept through the concert, which we planned to attend, but we were still sleepy. Meanwhile, the Shagaa was inevitably approaching, for the sake of which I planned this whole trip. We had an approximate route and a wish to visit a Buddhist prayer service. Having reached the temple, we took a forty-minute break, which lasted an hour. With the risk of being late for the conduct of the shamanic ritual, we hurried to where it was supposed to be. Here it is necessary to mention the main difficulty that has haunted me for more than a month: I could not figure out where women could and could not go. The fact is that the main rite is held on the mountain Dogee, where men must meet the sun. Women are forbidden to climb the mountain, otherwise natural disasters and other adversities are made possible. However, some wrote to me that as a journalist it is still possible, but I firmly decided not to break the tradition and not cause discontent.
I think, if it were not for the employees of the “Tuvinskaya Pravda”, who recognised me and took us to the ceremony, we would have been wondering around for a while. We arrive ten minutes late. The fire was already started, and a huge mountainous shaman, with an extending headdress was already beginning the ritual. His actions made me realise he was working the with fire spirits.

A few words about daily life: as the shaman used to tell us on the previous day, lighting was organised and supplies of tea with milk were frozen beforehand.
In the darkness there was a huge “hut” made of firewood much higher than human height (even taller than that shaman). When the drum was played, the fire lit up. Quite soon the heat near me forced me to move further back. Tuva IS a country of contrasts, where your back can be cold, and your face – hot! I felt many intricately interesting emotions over the course of the night. I certainly discovered much about myself. I am planning to explore my feelings in a big article on my return.
As the sun began to peek over the earth once more, we took a sigh of relief, knowing that now celebrations were to begin in earnest. It is quite easy to believe in magic when a man of sage like age, explains that such a sun rises only once a year and in five minutes it will become another, ordinary sunrise…
And then we greeted everyone for the new year of the Yellow Dog. “Shagaa bile!” – “Kurai, Kurai” – we exchanged common greetings. The air filled with happiness. A couple of coals from a sacred fire are taken by each visitor, upon the advice of the shaman.

After sleeping fifty minutes, I went to the Centre of Tuvan Culture, where I heard a beautiful legend about the origins of the igil (bow instrument) and learned how to weave whips. After some problems with Google Maps, which messed up the numbers of the houses again, I still came to the television centre, where I gave an interview for 105.5FM. I remind you that you can tune in at 6:10 Moscow time and at 10:10 am Siberian time. Having had a rest in our rented apartment, we decided to take advantage of the hospitality of the “Nomads of Asia”, the Tuvan bike club – we thus the reception of these wonderful people as our base until the end of our stay in Tuva.

And if you want to repeat my trip and participate in the meeting of the sun, do not repeat the mistakes of my friends, and wear felt boots and woollen socks!

This article continues our series of “Travel Notes” by the folk musician and journalist Maria Kirilova. Maria kindly suggested writing travel notes for tyva.me during a trip to Tuva this year for the celebration of Shagaa – the Tuvan New Year. Maria will share her insights about the sternly beautiful winter of Tuva, how the Tuvinians survive in the -40 degree frosts, how the Shagaa is celebrated, and what is sung in the winter folk songs.

Author: Maria Kirilova

I was inspired by the feedback that my travel notes were too optimistic and selling. Perhaps I was overly emotional about some positive things, such as the beauty of nature, and other such. Of course, we saw soot, poverty and rudeness. I like to remember the good, not devoid of reality, but devoid of vulgarity. I think that a lot depends on what expectations are set up initially, which events you visit and who you spend time with. On the streets of Kyzyl I found interesting and hospitable Tuvans. Since I did not live here, I didn’t have the opportunity to completely immerse myself in local realities, but I could communicate with people. Many locals made me really proud. We, the inhabitants of megacities or more developed regions, often complain about the conditions of life and we say that we do not like Moscow.
In spite of hardships, Tuvans love their land. Yes, many Tuvans emigrate, but those who remain speak so sincerely of their love towards their home, that they cannot be not believed. I wish for Tuva to find a path of development, which would alleviate the condition of the people and also preserve their culture and traditions.

As for today, it began with a visit to a shaman yurt in Dalniy Kaa-Khem. The driver could not find the address we needed for a long time, after driving through the whole village. When we found the place, we were invited into a yurt standing proudly in the courtyard of a home. We were told the Shaman was currently out, at a government meeting, and would be with us soon. While we were talking with the host, we were offered tea with milk, boorzak (fried dough pieces) and traditional cake. During our tea drinking, we learnt that one should never pour tea in the direction of the door, lest all the good that is in the house leaves it, but is rather stored and accumulated. Talking with a shaman is always a unique event. Our quiet conversation flowed effortlessly. Hanging on the opposite wall, the sacrifices for Shagaa were already prepared. We also brought cookies, sweets and milk, because it refers to sacred white food. I think I will dedicate a separate article about this Shaman when I can, perhaps when I get back home. For now I just want to say thank you to everyone who helped organise this meeting, who was in this yurt and personally Elena Khuler-Oolovna Otsur for her attention and detailed answers.

After lunch, we planned a visit to the National Museum. At the time when we left a shaman house, there was only an hour left before closing, and we decided to postpone it the next day, which promises to be one of the most saturated. We went for a walk that day instead of rushing to the museum. Now, since Shagaa is tomorrow, further notes will likely have to wait a little while.

This article continues our series of “Travel Notes” by the folk musician and journalist Maria Kirilova. Maria kindly suggested writing travel notes for tyva.me during a trip to Tuva this year for the celebration of Shagaa – the Tuvan New Year. Maria will share her insights about the sternly beautiful winter of Tuva, how the Tuvinians survive in the -40 degree frosts, how the Shagaa is celebrated, and what is sung in the winter folk songs.

Author: Maria Kirilova

It was still dark, when we got off a train Novosibirsk-Abakan in the freezing morning. A driver met us to take to a maral farm, and then finally to Kyzyl. It became my tradition to enter Kyzyl at dawn and leave at sunset. So it happened again. As soon as the sun lit up our path, my eyes saw what I wanted to see: snowy steppes and fluffy mountains. In the summer, the steppes looked comfortable and soft, like trampolines , and I could not imagine how they would look during winter. Their image was now stern! The northern landscape of cold whites, blues and greys was by no means unfriendly, but commanded respect for sure.

The weather was sunny when we arrived in Turan . Animals were kept in large pens of land, females separated from males. An iron grid separated them from the visitors. However, as the driver said, he is not often asked to come here, and today we were, it seems, the only guests. Most of the marals (local red deer) had small horns. When they grow up, they are cut and used as components for various medicines. Female marals showed more curiosity about the passing car, but people with cameras still preferred to move away. Some males engaged in power displays despite the modest size of the horns.

I visited the Centre of Asia in Kyzyl earlier, but I inspected it more thoroughly during my second visit. I won’t describe the monument again, instead share the memory of the huge and impressive sheets of ice across the frozen Yenesei river. Its huge width brought the message home that Kyzyl is “on the Yenisei”, and not just next to it. Vivaldi, reproduced on the embankment, brought a funny dissonance with it. To be accurate, when we just came up, it sounded “Summer” from the “Seasons” cycle. Selection of European classical music in the Centre of Asia sounded unforgettable.

After walking around the city a little more, we met an interesting person who finally explained to me why the Tuvans often say that they had once been blond and blue-eyed. As it turned out, these were still not exactly Tuvans, but other peoples who came to Tuva to avoid flooding in their lands. I hoped to learn more about it the day tomorrow at the National Museum.

Soon we had already settled in a rented apartment, and next day we had a meeting with a shaman and a visit to the museum. Further to my list of culinary impressions, I added a hodgepodge and lamb in the cafe “Choduraa”. Food is pleasantly cheap out here. I was looking forward to the next day.

With this article we continue our series of “Travel Notes” by the folk musician and journalist Maria Kirilova. Maria kindly suggested writing travel notes for tyva.me during a trip to Tuva this year for the celebration of Shagaa, which is the festival of Tuvan New Year. Maria will share her insights about the sternly beautiful winter of Tuva, how the Tuvinians survive in the -40 degree frosts, how the Shagaa is celebrated, and what is sung in the winter folk songs.

Author: Maria Kirilova

Hello to everyone who loves Tuva! Thus I continue my “Travel Notes”. Today we cover a few notable episodes on my way to Shagaa. I had finished packing all the warm clothes and embarked on my trip.

Acquiring and mastering a Tuvan flute of some sort was one of my dreams for a while. I fell for the shoor because of its unusual iridescent sound, and the peculiar way with which you play the instrument. A good while on google and requests to music shops didn’t give me anything useful so I turned to the Centre of Tuvan Culture. The experts there told me that this instrument is… disposable! I read on the internet that it was made from a plant called baltyrgan, which was harvested in Autumn, when its stalks were on the right side of withered. And hence it was missing in mid-January!

But let me go astray and tell you about Tuvan hospitality. Shagaa itself, as far as I can judge from the small amount of information on the internet, is a very hospitable holiday, when everyone calls each other to visit, the rich treat the poor, etc. It goes as far as having competitions to see who the best host is! My “Travel Notes” received a lot of attention. Responses have been varied, from invitations to calling me derogatory terms for immigrants. Well, finally I had the opportunity to feel as an immigrant! Tuvan hospitality was not surprising but amazed me nonetheless. Complete strangers expressed such support and interest in my journey that I felt obliged to somehow give back, at least with eager answers. Special thanks go out to everyone who helped me with transport. Without them the trip would have been impossible, I hope we stay in touch! I also want to thank the Centre for their advise with the flute, and everyone else who reads my notes.

By the way, just the other day I was given a wonderful gift. It was a small collection of Tuvan myths in three languages: Tuvan, Russian and English. Stay tuned for more, not long left to wait!